Eye protector



Feb, 3, 1948. E, M. sPLAlN ooo oooh" nooo oooon "ooo Gaan j EYEPROTECTOR Filed Sept, 7, 1944 noe vs o eee.

wooo ceca` `I woo 0 ooo ne o o o o o 0N INVENTOR. EDWD M. JPL H /VE'HTTOENE Y Patented Feb. 3, 1948 EYE PROTECTOR Edward M. Splaine,Southbridge, Mass., assgnor to American Optical Company, Southbridge,Mass., a voluntary association of Massachusetts Application September 7,1944, Serial No. 553,014

2 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in eye protectors and hasparticular reference to a novel and improved construction of protectorembodying eyecups for use in the industries.

One of the principal objects of the invention is to provide a device ofthis character which shall satisfactorily protect the eyes from ilyingparticles and the like and at the same time permit free and clearlateral vision when the protector is in position on the face.

Another object is to provide an eye protector of the above characterwith eyecups each having an opening in the side wall thereof coveredwith a shield having a plurality of perforations therein, with theperforated area of the shield cupped outwardly to afford means forventilating the eyecups and to increase the ventilated area internallyof the eyecups and with said cupped portion being more resistant toimpact and also enabling the wearer to have a wider field of lateralvision.

Another object is to provide side shields of the above character whichwill allow air to flow in a direction substantially transversely of theinner surfaces of said shields and thereby aord greater ventilation.

Another object is to provide eye protectors of the above character withmeans adjacent the lenses for preventing the fogging of said lensesduring use.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent fromthe following description taken in connection with the accompanyingdrawings and it will be apparent that many changes may be made in thedetails of construction and arrangement of parts without departing fromthe spirit of the invention as expressed in the accompanying claims. I,therefore, do not Wish to be limited to the exact details ofconstruction and arrangement of parts as the preferred form only hasbeen given by way of illustration.

Referring to the drawings:

, Fig. 1 is a front elevational view of the device embodying theinvention;

Fig. 2 is a side elevational view of said device; and

Fig. 3 is an enlarged sectional view taken as on line 3-3 of Fig. 1 andlooking in the direction indicated by the arrows.

Providing goggles or eye protectors of the character described withperforated side shields functioning as baille means overlying an openingin the side wall of the eyecup is not new in the art. Such prior artSide shields, however, were in 2 most instances formed from flat sheetmaterial and were merely placed in overlying relation with the openingsubstantially in the plane of the outer surface of the eyecup. Suchprior art side shields, in some instances, would afford lateral visionthrough the perforations, but such vision was restricted to thedirection of the axis of the openings in said relatively flat plane.

Further diiilculty has been encountered with prior art goggles of thisnature in that the side shields were not suiiiciently resistant toimpact and the direction of flow of the air inwardly of the goggles andthe area internally of the goggles was not sufiicient to introduce theproper ventilation.

One of the principal objects, therefore, of the present invention is toovercome all of the above diiculties in an extremely simple, efcient andinexpensive manner through the forming of a side shield with a centralcupped or outwardly bulged perforated portion with the said shieldhaving openings in the side walls of said cupped or bulged portionwhereby air may enter the openings in the side walls and traverse theinner surface of the cupped or bulged portion substantially laterallythereof and with said openings in the side walls affording increasedvision in a. direction rearwardly of the eyecup as indicated by thearrows A and in a direction forwardly of the eyecup as indicated by thearrows B as well as affording lateral vision as indicated by the arrowsC. This increasedrearward and forward vision greatly increases the areaof lateral vision through the side shield while the outward bulged orcupped portion increases the ventilated area internally of the goggleand renders the side shield more resistant to impact.

Referring more particularly to the drawings wherein like characters ofreference designate like parts throughout the several views, the deviceembodying the invention comprises a pair of eyecups Il having a faceengaging edge portion 5 shaped substantially to the contour shape of theface about the eyes. The eyecups are preferably formed of a non-metallicmaterial resistant to heat and heat conduction. The said eyecups #i areeach provided with .a forward edge 6 on which a suitable lens i may beseated. The said lens is retained on said edge through the provision ofsuitable screw threads or the like 8 adjacent said edge and a lensretaining ring 9 threadedly connected with said screw threads: The lenssupporting edge E is provided with a plurality of slots I0 extendingthroughout the thickness of the walls of the eyecups in a direc-A tionoblique to the tangence of said adjacent inner and outer surfaceportions and extend substantially throughout the entire circumference ofsaid edge in progressively spaced relation with each other. The lensretaining ring 9 is provided with a pllu'ality of spaced circumferentialslots l I communicating Vwith said slots .l 0. 'l `he eyecups areprovided 4irte'rnally thereof and adjacent the' slotted lens retainingedge 6 "with a reinforcing ring i2 preferably formed of metal. This ringis seated in place during the molding of the eyecup to the shapedesired. The lens retaining ring 9 is also preferably formedotfrelativelythin material having the threaded rtih thereof preferablyformed by a rollingjprocssand an inwardly deilected lip IS'adaptel'toengage a bevelled edge I4 formed ontl'ieco'ntour of the' lens. r il. iEach of the eyecups is formed with an 'opening l5 in the temporal Wallportion thereof and exF tending "throughout "the maj or area of saidAwall. Ilie "contour of the opening outwardly 'of 'the eyecupis'provided with' asunke'n "seat or 'shou lderedrecess i6 shaped "toreceive thebontour edge portion .H ofthe side shield i8. The said sideshielo isis provided with @plurality f'vent openings 'i9 'therein and'extending "substantially throughout'the areaof theshield'-overl3'fi1fi`g lthe openingk `5^wth-"`saigd alea 'beingClippd'or blllged otwardly'as shown best in'lig. 3. The outwardlycupping or bulging vof the shield'cause'sthe nield'tohave sidewaliportions'n andl with openings I9 ther/ein- This outward cuppingorbulging of the side shield increase'sthe'ventilated area internally ofthe eyecup and also perfnits vision through theopenings IS inthe frontWall prtionZll in the* direction indicated by the arrows B AandSimultaneously increases lateral visinfin th'edrectionof 1the arrows Athrough theopening's i9 inthe rear side wallportionfgl'. It `i`s v'alsoto be noted that air may'enter the satdopenings t9 vin the'front andrear walls 20 and 2l in the directionof the arrows 22 and23 asf'well asthrough the openings |9 inf the direction ofthe arrows C` therebypermitting air to traverse the inner surface of the hulged portionsubstantially laterally of said "inner surface depending upon thedirection of now of the current of "air vto which the eyecups areexposed 'during use. If the current of air isv flowing in `a r e ar warddiectionthe air will enter in the direction of thfe 1Varrows 22 'andvwill be exhausted i'lrcugh the openings in the rear Wall portion 2l. Onthe otherhandif the current ofair -is from fadirection earwa'rdlyof thegoggle, air will enterthe openings 1 9 through vthe rear Wall `2linthefdirection 4of the Aarrows 23 and will be exhausted through theopenings i9 in the front Wall portion 2li thereby affording aventilating action notlobtained with prior art flat types'ide shields.

The said sideshield's l8 are secured to theeyencpsmby rivetsor the like'24. `The tempola'llsides of Vthe eyecups are Jeach provided with a'realivvjardiy extending end 25 having anppemng 2t therein through whicha suitable headband or th like 21 L,is threaded 'ine said headband 21 isA'provided with enlarged ends ,28 for anchoring the said headband to therearwardly extending portions 25.

The eyecups are preferably joined with each other by `a "flexibleball-chain member 2S .having its ends extended through openings 3oformed in the nasal wall portions of the eyeoups. The ends 29 aresecured or anchored with the eyecups by pivoted clips 3| having aslotted portion 32 adapted to straddle the link portions 33 connectingthe ball portions 29 together. The said clip 3| is pivoted to the eyecupas illustrated at 34. The portion of the chain intermediate the eyecupsis preferably covered by a tubular member 35 preferably formed of heatresistant material.

From the foregoing descriptionY it Awill be seen that simple, efficientandeconomical means have been provided'in'an extremely ecient and in- `c:spensive manner. The outward bulging or cupping of the side shieldsgreatly increases the .strength of the said shields against impact andpermitsrelativelyrough usage of the goggle withoutdager of injury tosaid side shields.

Tolai'ml. i, i

`1.'In"a"devce of the character described an eyecup member having anedge portion shaped to enga-ge the face and having a forwardly extending`w`all portion terminating in an outer supporting edge, said wallportion, on the temporal sidethereof, having an opening thereimand ashield 'overlying' said opening, said shield having a rcentrallydisposed dome-like portion cupped outwardly from the plane of itssurrounding outer edge portion and shaped 'substantially t'o `the outercontour sh'ap'eof the opening and extending substantially'throughout thearea of said opening, saidouter edge portionof the shield constitutinga'lan'gelike portion angularly disposed withfrespect to the side Wallsof the'dome-like portion and Alying substantially parallel withthe topof said dome-like portion, said `flange-like portion being shapedsubstantially to the'contour of the adjacent outer Wall Vof the eyecupsurrounding the `opening and to ,iit in contiguous relation therewith,said'dome-like portion havingsp'a'ced openings Vextending substantiallythroughout the area thereof with some of saidopenings lying lin the sidewalls of the dome-like portion andbeing so disposed relative to eachotherfa-s to aiord increased lateral vision and simultaneouslyintroduceventilation in a direction, transversely of the inner Surface o fthedome-like portion, end means connect'ngsaid flange-like portion withsaid eyecup member. 2. Ina device of the character vdfes'crib'el'gl aneyecnp member having an edgeportion VShaped 4to engage the face andhavinga forwardlyextending wall 'portion terminating in an outer` sup;-porting edge, saidwall portion, onthe temporal side theteothavinganopenilg thereimand `a shield overlying said opening, 4said shieldhaving a centrally disposed domevlike, portioncupp'ed outwardly from theplane ot its surrounding outer edge; portion substantiallylto theVouteri .contour shape o f the Vopening and extendin'gsubstantiallythroughout the area of said opening, said ,out`er edge .portion of theshield constitutingafllaiiglike'portion angularly disposedjwth'respectto the side Yv valls -of the, `donielikejprtion and ,lying substantiallysamuel with the top of s' like portion, said flange-,like portion beingshaped substantially tothe` contour [of the vadjacent outer wan of theeyecup surrounding tneopenmjg and to t in contiguousrelationtherewith,s; d'dorn'elike portion having spaced openings extending substantiallythroughout .the V area thereof. with s'orneof said,A 3p e'1f1` i n gslying in the sidewalls of the dome-like portion and being so disposed.relative to each other as to afford increasedlaral vision andsimultaneously introduceventilation in a direction transversely of the,inner surface of the dome-like portion, said Vwan portion fartherhaving 4a shouldered reeess about the edge of said opening with 'theflange-like 'portionoi the shield lying within said shouldered recessand means securing said ange-like portion in said position.

EDWARD M. SPLAINE.

UNITED STATES PATENTS Name Date Tillyer June 18, 1940 Shindel Nov. 25,1919 Baker July 6, 1937 Morse Nov. 29, 1864

